HOWELL, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 2-1/2-year-old who managed to get their hands on a loaded weapon in Howell died over the weekend. 7 Action News has learned that the father of the child is an officer with the Dearborn Police Department.
Howell police said the toddler died after firing off a round around 6 p.m. Sunday in Howell's Rolling Oaks subdivision.
Neighbor John McGlinchey recalled, “I did see when the paramedic carried the child from the home to the ambulance — it was pretty clear to me. Even from standing here or inside, the child was lifeless, and I have no idea how that came to be.”
He soon learned the child gained access to an unsecured weapon in the home directly across the street from him on Oak Squire Lane.
"I'm devastated by it even though I didn't know the folks. Anytime something like that happens, how can you not be?" McGlinchey said.
The Dearborn Police Department confirmed that the father is a corporal with the department. The department released the following statement Monday evening:
“This incident is a serious personal family matter, and we are respecting the privacy of the Officer and his family during this difficult time.”
A source told 7 Action News that the gun involved in the incident is not the officer's service weapon. As of Monday night, no charges have been filed against the officer or his family.
“I have no problem with people having firearms in their homes but when you do, that comes responsibility, particularly if you have children, young children," he explained. “You need to make sure that there's no access for them to those sorts of things."
The nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety said from 2015 to 2022, at least 895 kids below the age of 5 shot themselves or someone else.
As a result, at least 933 children were injured or killed.
The Howell shooting occurred less than two months after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed gun reform legislation, which includes a red flag law, expanding background checks, as well as safe storage requirements to protect children.
The legislation is set to go into effect next year.
7 Action News spoke with Dr. Marc Zimmerman. He's the co-director of the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
"Interestingly, about 75% of people say they leave a gun unlocked and loaded for protection and yet, the research on does a firearm actually protect you suggests that you're more likely to be hurt by that gun or a loved one hurt by that gun then you are to protect yourself," Zimmerman said.
He continued, "Because truth be told, firearm injury and death as horrible as it is in the United States, it's a relatively rare event still and most of our communities are fairly safe."
Howell police told 7 Action News no further information would be released at this point in time.
